Fort Benning schools get more than $2,000 through Box Tops 4 Education

Parent-Teacher Organization members stand with Darlene Chaney of General Mills, left, Christy Cabezas, Georgia and Alabama school district superintendent, Col. Jeffrey Fletcher, post garrison commander, and Lillie Burns, grocery manager for the commissary. Also in attendance were several school principals.

Parent-Teacher Organization members stand with Darlene Chaney of General Mills, left, Christy Cabezas, Georgia and Alabama school district superintendent, Col. Jeffrey Fletcher, post garrison commander, and Lillie Burns, grocery manager for the commissary. Also in attendance were several school principals.

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Feb. 20, 2013) -- Fort Benning schools Parent Teacher Organization were awarded more than $2,000 through the Box Tops 4 Education program. General Mills held a contest in which commissaries across the nation competed to bring in the most box tops.

The program began in 1996 by General Mills and has since raised more than $475 million for schools across the nation, according to the website, boxtops4education.com. Money is raised by clipping Box Top coupons out of participating products.

Darlene Chaney, territory commissary sales representative, oversaw the project and worked with the schools and commissary.

Half of the money came from the Fort Benning's commissary win. The other $1,000 came from Robins Air Force Base, who also won. But because they did not have any schools on base, they donated their money to Fort Benning, Chaney said.

Well over a thousand General Mills products were at the commissary.

The Fort Benning commissary competed against 27 other superstores.

Lillie Burns, grocery manager at the commissary, said for the past six years the Fort Benning commissary has won, with the winners being chosen based on sale of products and creativity of store displays. And, although they have won in the past, this is the first year they've received such a large amount of money for the schools.

"I think it's great," said Kari Davidson Parent-Teacher Organization president at White Elementary School. "They have a lot of great promotions here through the commissary and you can get extra box tops, bonus box tops for turning in certain products. So they really do a lot to help the schools on post. The kids are crazy about collecting them and we certainly put the money to good use because it really does add up."

For more information about the Box Tops 4 Education program, visit www.boxtops4education.com.